Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	harden_v	let_v	pharaoh_n	4,715	5	11.0616	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52817	The signs of the times, or, VVonderful signs of wonderful times being a faithful collection and impartial relation of several signs and wonders, call'd properly prodigies, (together with some philosophical and theological descants upon them) which have been seen in the heavens, on the earth, and on the waters, as they have been testifyed by very credible hands, all of which have hapned within the compass of this last year 1680 : which may well be called another annus mirabilis, or wonderful year, wherein the Lord hath given us loud warnings to repent of our sins and return to him, that he may have mercy upon us / by C. N.	Ness, Christopher, 1621-1705.	1681 (1681)	Wing N463; ESTC R32306	68,903	90

not the vain Astrology and Idolatry of the Chaldeans in their Country 2. That Astrology which pretendeth to read Fates and Fortunes in the Heavens ascribing all to Stars and not to God is Idolatry condemn'd there by Jeremy and by Isaiah ch 47 12 13 c. 3 Jeremy speaks of Natural and ordinary Signs of Heaven which the blind Heathens were dismay'd at Desying God while they Deified them as if the Issues of their Affairs depended on them VVherefore Gods people should not be so If there were no other Reason but that only Matth 6.32 but there be other Extraordinary Signs dreadful Apparitions whereby God warns his people of some ensuing Wrath as appeareth from Joel Christ and Peter c. as above God doth not forbid us to mind them and to be affected with them Especially considering this is Gods last way of speaking to us as it was to Pharaoh when God had said sostly to him at first Let my People go c. he hardned his heart then God spake more severely to him by Signs and wonders So now our Barnabas's hath been rejected God sends his Boanerges's and preacheth to us by Prodigies and such as are more than Ordinary without a Parallell for this Soo year and so attended with such concussions of Kingdoms e'n Popish one against another c which seem to put an Accent on them and though there have been frequent Prodigies yet may they be Signs of the last times as a Disease is a sign of Mortality though a Man recover sometimes yet ceaseth he not to be mortal but dyeth at last So those signs though oft seen do not cease to be Signs of the Approaching End and former Prodigies might have other Praesages and significations as those in 60 c what hath befaln ever since such as Plague Fire c. I speak to a wise man skilful in Mysteries who will judg candidly what is sayd by From my Study this 10 of May 1681. Yours in the best Bonds Christo. Ness The Signs of the Times OR Wonderful Signs OF Wonderful Times OUR Lord and Saviour hath said Except men see SIGNS and WONDERS they will not Believe John 4.48 There is a natural Itch inbred in the nature of all Mankind to see some signs and Wonders Hence it is That such an universal Aptness is found in all the Sons and Daughters of Men to behold Rare Shows and strange Sights Thus the People Ran forth out of all the Region round about to get a Sight of John the Baptist as of a burning and shining Light Matth. 3.5 11.7 Luke 3.7 Joh. 5.35 Seeing they had not any one Prophet born to them from the Building of the Second Temple until His Birth Then was Cathimath Chazon a Sealing up of Prophesy Dan. 12.4.9 No Prophet 'twixt Malachy and John Baptist Mal. 4.5 Mat. 11.14 with 17.10 Hence that Captivity Psalm Psal 74. complains verse 9. that there was no Prophet amongst them Hence it is also that we read so oft in Scripture of many men Good as well as Bad asking after a Sight of Signs Indeed 1 It is an evil and Adulterous Generation according to Christ's Character that most seeketh after signs Matt. 12 28 39. that is so earnestly if that were not Done they were Undone I. Those carnal Scribes and Pharisees could call for a Sign after so many Signs They had been personal Ey-witnesses How Mighty Christ was both in Word and Deed in Doctrine and Miracles before God and all the People Luke 24.19 which were so many Infallible Proofs Act. 1.3 that he was the Messiah yet these were but SIGNS on Earth they would not believe in him unless he could shew them a SIGN from Heaven and Doe as Moses Samuel and Elijah had done for Moses call'd for Manna Samuel for Rain and Elijah for Fire All from Heav'n c. John 2.18 6.30 Christ shew'd them many Signs Jo. 20.30 and wrought many Wonders which no power but that which is Divine could work John 9.32.3 both beyond the Course of Nature and above the Power of Art yet as the Saying is they could not see VVood for Trees No they must have such Signs as were shown and seen upon Mount Sinai Exod. 19.16 19. Such Thunders and Lightnings though they had their Bath-Kol the Daughter of a Voice which was as they say the only Oracle abiding with the Second Temple and such a Voice of God as Thunder is called Psal 29.3 to 10 they had from Heaven John 12.29 30. Therefore Christ checks and chides them for requiring such Signs as would rather affright these Hypocrites than instruct them They should have been contented with his Doctrine and Miracles which did sufficiently demonstate a Divine Power and though the Thunder-Claps at the Giving of the Law upon Mount Sinai were most suitable to the Rigour of that Dispensation yet his Miracles of Mercy confirming his Doctrine were more suitable to SION and to the Grace of the Gospel Therefore went Christ about Doing Good to many by his Miracles Act. 10.38 but never which is very remarkable Doing Hurt to Any by them As most other Wonder-Workers Did for his Name was JESUS a Saviour not Abaddon A bad one or Apollyon a Destroyer In all this those wicked Hypocrites were wittingly willingly and wilfully blind and who so blind as they that will not see II. Another Time Came the Superstitious Pharisees leaving behind them the Supercilious Scribes and conspir'd with the Irreligious Sadduces to tempt Christ by asking a SIGN Matt. 16.1 c. Those two Sects were deadly Enemies each to the other yet can they here combine as loving Friends for confronting of CHRIST The two Good Sticks Israel and Juda became one in the hand of God Ezeck 37 19. but those two Bad Sticks the Pharisees and Sadduces became one in the hand of the Devil not onely as Herod and Pilate did Luk. 23.12 but also as the Popish Priests and Jesuites the Monks and Fryars All which be at deadly Difference amongst themselves in as much as they do notoriously disparage and bespatter one another yet as Herod and Pilate could joyn hands against CHRIST so those Miscreants can all conspire against Protestants Thus Dogs though they be fighting never so fiercely and tearing one another yet if an Hare run by they can give over and all run after her Accordingly those two sorts though of Heterogeneous Principles could be enough Homogeneous to Assault Christ with their cavelling Interrogatories wherein their putid Hypocrisy courting him at the first and calling him Master whom before they had branded with that black name of Belzebub appeared desiring him to shew them a SIGN Them by all means as more worshipful men than the Multitude e'n such as might well seem to merit such a signal and singular Favour They must by all means be the only Men to whom the Messiah must shew a Sign from Heaven such as Josuah shewed in commanding the Sun to stand still such as Isaiah shew'd in causing the

but in the morning the same is a Sign of Rain or Wind Mat. 16.3 This is proved and approved by Universal Experience the probable Reason whereof in the course of Nature may be this the Setting-Sun carries off those red Clouds all along with it out of our Horizon into the other Hemisphere and there disperseth them either to a Consumption or to a Rainy day unto our Antipodes but the Rising Sun carries the Red Clouds up alost along with it into our Meridian and then dissolves them into Wind or Rain not unlike to this is that Prognostick Monastick of the Poet from the various colour of the Firmament Caeruleus pluvias Denuntiat Igneus Euros A watery Sky foretelleth Rain and a red fiery Sky foresignifies high boisterous and tempestuous VVinds. These and such like are call'd natural and ordinary Prognosticks and not at all unlawful in their own nature for CHRIST did not reprove the Pharises and Sadduces in Matt. 16.3.4 for their being weather-wise though it belonged not to their Profession and for their discerning the Face of the Sky concerning fair and foul Seasons to the more aptly ordering their secular Occasions he did not blame them for this absolutely but comparatively only because they could be so skilful in the Book of Nature yet were so unskilful in the Book of Scripture saying certainly you Leaders of the People cannot be ignorant what the Scripture testifies that the Messiah shall make the Deaf to Hear the Dumb to Speak the Dead to Live c. Such signa insignia VVonders hath been wrought by me as never were seen or heard of and ye your selves cannot but acknowledg it John 11.47 Besides the Testimonies 1. of Angels 2. Of the Star 3. Of the Dove 4. Of my Father 5. Of John Baptist 6. Of the very Devils Yea 7ly Of the Multitude yet cannot yee Discern the Signs of the Times Yee must all therefore be saith our Lord either a sort of sordid sorry Sots or deep Dissemblers and Hyperbolical Hypocrites or both in sceming so criticall to enquire after the Messiah so curious to search after the Truth which yee are neither careful to know nor consciencious to obey Yet there be other Signs which are besides those Natural and Ordinary even preternatuacl and extraordinary which are prognosticks also of future things Neither is it Unlawful to pass a General Judgment tho a Particular without a Special Gift may be upon them as will be made more Distinctly manifest in the Application of the whole Again Those prognostick or presaging SIGNS are Reduc'd to Three Heads They are either 1. Omens or 2. Monsters or 3. Prodigies As to the 1. to Omit all the Omens observed by the Superstitious in a way of Divination as Sneezings Valentines stumbling upon the Threshold in the Morning at first going out stepping over the Threshold with the left leg first or knocking the Knees or Leggs one against another even to a Fall c. The Superstition whereof I have Demonstrated in my Antidote against Popery pag. 14 to 18. However Dreams appear to be ominous either for Good or for Evil or for both not only out of the Platonick Stoick and Pythagorean Philosophers but also out of the Scriptures as in Pharoah's young Samuels Daniels and Joseph's Dreams there was an Omen in them all now They are either 1. Natural and such are very Deceitful Eccles 5.7 So not to be Regarded unless for such and such Ends as I have mentioned in my Treachery of the Heart pag. 92.2 Diabolical such as some supposes Pilate's Wives was whereby the Devil might endeavour to hinder the Work of our Redemption 3. Divine Dreams which sometime be doubled and so do make a deep impression as that of Pharaoh c. Gen 41.1 5. c. Thus 't is said God came to Abimelech in a Dream Gen. 20.3 This was frequent under all the Old Testament and at the beginning of the New but now since God has spoke his Will in his Word to us by his Son Hebr. 1.1.2 We must not now expect any New Revelation about any Divine Truth from God in Dreams yet possibly God may communicate some Information about Humane Events to his Godly Servants by Dreams Instance Monica's Dream concerning her Son Augustin while he was a Manichee That her Son should return to the true Faith of his Mother which she construed as a good Omen and accordingly the Lord heard her Prayers and Tears for him and caused him to return There be sundry others in Ecclesiastical History which I pass-by and pitch only upon blessed Pareus's Dream related by his Son Philip writing his Fathers Life as a Preface to his Comments Saying this I dream'd in the year 1618. The very year of a great Comets appearing that I saw all Hildeberg in a thick Smoak but the Princes Pallace all on a light fire Hereupon I Prayed Oh most merciful GOD divert from us this most sad Omen and save thy Sarepta from these Desolations by the Enemy both within and without Thus the Good man dream'd and thus he pray'd but the Decree was gon forth and shortly after executed acccording to his Dream Yet this is a most certain Truth That all Dreams are not significant much less have any thing Divine in them Therefore 't is not only Folly but iniquity also to put such an Universal Stress upon them as if God alwayes warn us in and by them concerning future Events This is not only Vain Curiosity to search into Secrets but also a Sinful Superstition The Second Predictive Sign are Monsters so called à monstrando because they do premonstrate some future Events though it be not every ones part to assign them in particular as before the Destruction of Jerusalem a Cow did bring forth a Lamb the Destruction of the City was presag'd by it c. Philosophers telleth us That there are no Monsters properly among Plants but only among Animals and among them 'T is not barely Excess as in Gyants or Defect of Quantity as in Pygmees that make a Monster but when the Animal doth so much vary from the Right Disposition of its own Kind as to make it either Horrible or Miserable then 't is a Monster Those Animals are Monsters that have two Heads and but one Heart which is the Fountain of Life this makes but one Animal yet Monstrous but If there be two hearts as well as Two Heads This make 2 Monstrous Animals for in such 't is observed when the one sleeps the other can wake when the one laughs the other can weep when the one Dyeth the other may over-live as Buchanan observeth Rer. Scot. lib. 3. Some indeed do make those excesses and Defects of Nature mentioned Lev. 21.17 to 23. monstrous marks of Disgrace as if Nature had See her black Brand of Disgrace upon them and as if those monstrous Deformities of the Body did Demonstrate the like Defects and Deformities in the Soul 'T is true concerning those that are crook'd-back'd which is

Huntings Ezod 3.7 This is that mystery of Iniquity and mother of Harlots that has made so many Kings of the Earth drunk with the Intoxicating Cup of her both of corporal and spiritual Fornications I have sometimes wondred why Sir Edward Cook that strenous Lawyer and Lord Judge used to call Royal Prerogative a mighty Monster and I cannot tell how to put a sounder sense on it than by Interpreting his Words thus That Popery in all Kings and Kingdoms brings forth Tyranny 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evil Bird Evil Egg as is the Mother so is the Daughter This Monstrous Beast brings forth most Monstrous Births no doubt but there is a just Prerogative well butted and bounded belonging to Kings yet may it be said of it as Naturalists say of the Dragon serpens serpentes vorando-fit Draco as when an overgrown Serpent hath devoured other Serpents that are lesser and below him thereby he becoms a Dragon So when Royal Prerogative hath swallowed both Priviledge of Parliaments and Liberty or Property of Subjects then doth it Degenerate into a Tyrannical Monster and this is evident in Popish Kingdoms where the King is called a King of Asses their Subjects being as so many Vassals Peasants and silly Asses tamely couching down under every Burden that an unlimited Prerogative Imposeth on them As that Creature is commonly Reputed a Monster wherein the common Rules of Nature which never intendeth any monstrous thing are prevaricated so this Prerogative that Sage Judge so Styleth may well be accounted a Monster when there is any notorious prevarication from the known Fundamental Laws of the Land there y when all Law becomes swallowed up with an Absolute and Arbitrary Domination and when no rule is observed therein but Sic Volo sic Jubco stat pro ratione voluntas And quod libet licet which are the Proposals of Popish Parasites to Popish Princes Thus one Monster begets and brings forth another in its own Monstrous likeness The beastly Religion of that Monstrous Beast of Rome both begets and brings forth Monstrous Tyranny changing Due Prerogative into a true Monster God Almighty bless this poor Land from all such Prerogative-Monsters which have so long infested Europe Though Affrica hath been always accounted famous for affording most Menslers according to that old Adage Africa semper aliquid novi sen Monstra Assert and I find this Story in Record That in Africa near Nilus were found a few Mice only one half made up Nature was there taken in the very Nick how she was prevented from perfecting her Work I know not yet this saith my Author I know she had wrought Life in the foreparts thereof Head and Breast but the hinder parts still remainedunform'd unquickned still abiding in the fashion of a little lump of Earth and so she lest them but by the Premises it appeareth that Europe as well as Africa aboundeth with Monsters and not so much with monstrous Mice which marr the Land as 1. Sam. 6.5 Or as Pliny writes with such Mice which drove out the Inhabitants out of Troas and the Island Gyarus Pliny lib. 8. cap. 28. and 10. and 10. cap. 65.68 Nor with such Mice as Speed in Essex mentioneth in the year 1581. just an hundred years ago which came in a great Army and over-ran the Marshes of Dengy Hundred near unto South Minster shearing the Grass to the very roots and so tainted the same with their venemous Teeth that a great Murrain sell upon their Cattel that grazed thereon Alas Europe is now Infested not only with Land Marring Mice which threatneth both a Famine of Bread and a Famine of the Word too Amos. 8.11 but also with monstrous and Landmarring Beasts such as are butting pushing Rams and slinking nausty Goats Ezek. 34.17.18.19.20 to wit the Popish Clergy who eat up the Best and beat down the rest with their foul Feet and for wholesom obtrude Brakish water upon men to quench their Thirst muzling and misleading some silly Souls to feed upon Traditions lying Legends cheating Indulgences vowed Pilgrimages hard Pennances e. They are glad to eat such as they can catch but other more enlightned Souls as cannot touch tast nor handle with them they thrust with the side and with the shoulder v. 21. and push them with their Horns of Excommunications and Persecutions until they have scattered them ahroad They force them out of the Fold Flock and Pasture of Gods Ordinances administred in power and purity in such a case what can the Righteous do Ps 18.3 They are not able to abide the pushings of those Monstrous Beasts they must either Fly or Dye they have not a Third for their choice oh pray that Christ the good Shepard may come and save his Flock from being a Prey to those Monsters and to Judge between Cattle and Cattle and to cause those unclean Beasts to cease out of this Land and other Lands in Europe v. 22 to 26. The Lion Nero and other Slaughter-Slaves of Satan assuredly shall not worry Gods Flock for ever T is Gods promise I will cause the unclean Spirit of the monstrous Beast to pass out of the Land Zech. 13.2 But what a deadly Bite this deadly Beast may give at passing and parting we know not morsus Bestiae moribundae sunt maxime mortiferi the good Lord give us a good Deliverance from the last Bite The third Predictive Sign or Wonder is prodigies prodig●um some Etymologizeth quasi predicium because 't is predictive and prognosticating others quasi porro agendum more and further to do as a Prodigy portends God hath some more and further great Work to do in the World in Greek 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terren because a Prodigy is an affrightful prospect In Hebrew 't is called Mopheth a Jasaph Splenduit fulsit Illuxit because Prodigies especially those in the Heavens have a shining spendour which do dazle the Eyes of beholders and oft Astonisheth their Minds with their sparkling and shining Lustre The word Mopheth Deut. 13.2 Is Translated portentum quia Indicat quid porro tendatur because it portends some further tendency of Providence though there it be used for fallacious Wonders which the Devil by Jannes and Jambres wrought through Gods permission for the further hardning of Pharoah's Heart True Portents Prodigies or Wonders that do exceed the common course of Nature are always Gods Seals which he never sets on for confirming an untruth they have in the general a perswading power to believe and prompting us to awake out of our lazy slumbers hence one wittily compares Prodigies exposed to View unto a Musitians first strokes upon his Instrument to try in what tune it is and then he puts forth his most excellent dexterity in playing over sundry choice Lessons with most melodious and Ravishing Musick Thus when the great God doth expose his wonderful Prodigies unto Publick view and the knowledge of Mankind it plainly portends that he therein is tuning his Instrument as he is the chief